How Customer Values Are Transforming Brands Today
Brands are under attack today from many sources, most often triggered by activists on social media. They are demanding brands take a stand on controversial socioeconomic and political issues that are getting more attention with our divisive politics today. Most brands can no longer ignore these trends and remain apolitical. There are always risks of offending some customers and employees so the challenge is to determine what issues to address, and how. The answer should depend on the core values that define the brand equity and image, and related to this the most important values of...
Read MoreHow Customer Values Are Transforming Brands Today
Brands are under attack today from many sources, most often triggered by activists on social media. They are demanding brands take a stand on controversial socioeconomic and political issues that are getting more attention with our divisive politics today. Most brands can no longer ignore these trends and remain apolitical. There are always risks of offending some customers and employees so the challenge is to determine what issues to address, and how. The answer should depend on the core values that define the brand equity and image, and related to this the most important values of...
Read MoreThe Rise of “Morality-via-Branding” to Add Empathy and Connect Emotionally
If you are like me, you are probably sick of all the acrimony, blatant lies, nasty accusations, partisan rancor and exaggerated rhetoric in politics today. Have we all lost our moral compass? Can we trust and believe anyone anymore? Can’t individual politicians simply do what’s right, and not just what their party demands? Well, in response to this increase in anger and negativity, there is a refreshing “morality-via-branding” trend emerging, where brand advertising is becoming more empathetic, providing a new port in this storm. In his new book, “#Republic: Divided Democracy in the Age...
Read MoreHow Social Media Is Changing What Brands Stand For
Our world has never been so divided by politics, with social media as a major catalyst for extreme opinions and reactions. Brands are being pulled into battles on what they stand for, willingly and unwillingly, on both social and traditional media. The driving force behind this disconcerting trend of brand politicization is the increasing vocalization of customer values, which have become so intensely defined and polarized recently, even demanding a particular stance by some corporate brands. When social media arose 15 years ago, marketers where afraid they would lose control over their...
Read MoreThe Crisis of Message Credibility and Impact on Brands
Our world is more passionately polarized than ever. Current politics have over sensitized even the most rational, knowledgeable people, creating a new level of acrimony and distrust among family and friends. A major contributor to this divisiveness is the growth of “falsehoods” communicated in politics and the news, especially on social media. The incidence of these “untruths” has reached epidemic proportions, and is seriously undermining the most important values for strong brands: credibility, authenticity and trust. The entire subject of “misstatements” and the credibility of...
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